Want to be able to write directly on your iMac? You may soon have the right tool in hand, if the designers can generate enough cash.

Designed by the minds at Cregle, the iPen 2 is aiming to out-stylus its predecessor with a version for both the iMac and iPad. The current iPen lets you write and draw on the screen but only supports the iPad.

People who pledge at least $99 will receive the iPad edition. Those who cough up at least $149 will get the iMac and Apple Display version. And anyone who kicks in $199 or more will get an iMac and iPad bundle with a single stylus and receivers for both the computer and the tablet.

Cregle is eyeing an estimated delivery date of June for the iMac version and July for the iPad version. The company plans to use the Kickstarter funding to outfit the iPen driver with advanced features, create an iPen stand for the iMac, and mass produce customized parts.

The iPen 2 promises to be pressure sensitive, with up to 1,024 different pressure levels. It can be held from any angle with equal accuracy. And it will feel like a ballpoint pen, says Cregle, requiring less pressure to generate the necessary "ink" on the screen.

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The original iPen has been challenged by a dearth of supported apps, with only 19 iPad apps able to take advantage of the stylus.

With the iPen 2, Cregle is hoping to make life easier for developers by creating its own standalone calibration app, allowing them to focus on other compatibility tasks.

The company is even planning for a potential iPad 5 release in March by promising an iPen case compatible with Apple's new tablet.

With $21,584 pledged on Kickstarter so far, Cregle still has a way to go to drum up $360,000. But it more than handily financed the original iPen through Kickstarter back in 2011, so I'd say the odds are tipped in favor of the iPen 2.

About the author

Journalist, software trainer, and Web developer Lance Whitney writes columns and reviews for CNET, Computer Shopper, Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites. His first book, "Windows 8 Five Minutes at a Time," was published by Wiley & Sons in November 2012.
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